Best Narrative Games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated narrative games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals and best free narrative games are available at the bottom of the page.
Filters & Lists
Cats and the Other Lives
Part interactive fiction, part Felis domesticus adventure, “Cats and the Other Lives” explores the reunion of a broken family from the perspective of their house cat, Aspen.
Pentiment
Step into a living illustrated world in a time when Europe is at a crossroads of great religious and political change. Walk in the footsteps of Andreas Maler, a master artist who finds himself in the middle of murders, scandals, and intrigue in the Bavarian Alps.
Somerville
In the wake of catastrophe find the means to make your family whole again.
Paradise Marsh
Stars vanished from the sky and scattered across a perfect endless wetland... Catch bugs and chat with many characters while playfully wandering through peaceful scenery. But don't lose sight of the night sky, the constellations need help!
The Case of the Golden Idol
A new kind of detective game that allows you to think and investigate freely. Discover clues surrounding 12 strange and gruesome deaths and build your own theory. Pick your suspect, deduce the motive, unmask the awful truth.
The Plague Doctor of Wippra
The plague spreads agony and fear in the small town of Wippra. As a plague doctor, you bring healing and relief wherever you can. But ignorance, superstition, and religious zeal make for a deadly threat in this retro medieval medical adventure!
Once Again
Make up for lost time with Once Again, If you could travel through time, who’s the first person you’d meet? An interactive story about a boy who spends his summers wandering between past and present... After meeting her, summer will never be the same again...Who is she, and what journey awaits you?
The Spirit and the Mouse
Bring kindness and light to the people of Sainte-et-Claire as Lila—a tiny mouse with a big heart! Explore a quaint French village, make electrifying new friends, and do good deeds for those in need in this lush narrative adventure game.
Wylde Flowers
Join Tara on a heartfelt journey to become a witch in Wylde Flowers. Farm by day, and cast spells by night as you craft your cottagecore life and bond with your coven. Come to know and love the fully voice acted characters of Fairhaven, as you unravel a local mystery.
One Dreamer
Manipulate the world around you by editing source code in an adventure game about a burnt out indie game developer's quest to fulfill a lifelong dream.
South of the Circle
South of the Circle is a deep narrative experience of the emerging relationship between Peter and Clara, Cambridge academics involved in a political conflict. The story focuses on promises made in between career and true love, where our choices burdened by our past seem to be illusory.
"LIFE" not found;
This small Narrative Point & Click (Puzzle) game is about the mental health struggles of a adolescent high school dropout who's lost at life. Find out what they're struggling with, you might even recognize some things from your own life.
The Quarry
When the sun goes down on the last night of summer camp, nine teenage counselors are plunged into an unpredictable night of horror. The only thing worse than the blood-drenched locals and creatures hunting them are the unimaginable choices you must make to help them survive.
Eternal Threads
Eternal Threads is a single-player, first-person story-driven puzzle game of time manipulation, choice and consequence.
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees
Master the gibbon’s art of movement with a unique moveset that lets you swing, slide and somersault through a lush jungle canopy, and experience a free-flowing story of family and survival as you search for a home that may be lost forever.
Citizen Sleeper
Roleplaying in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism. Live the life of an escaped worker, washed-up on a lawless station at the edge of an interstellar society. Inspired by the flexibility and freedom of TTRPGs, explore the station, choose your friends, escape your past and change your future.
The Gunk
The Gunk is an action-adventure game in which you play as Rani, part of our duo of gritty space haulers. As they’re struggling to bring in funds, they chance upon an untouched planet brimming with life. They came in search of valuable resources, and it looks like they’ve hit the jackpot…
What Lies in the Multiverse
A bombastic puzzle platformer about worlds turned inside out. Shift dimensions at the push of a button, solve brain-twisting logistical riddles, and race through the wilds of the multiverse in a bleakly hilarious (and hilariously bleak) story where everything you know can turn on a dime.
Life is Strange Remastered
Experience the BAFTA award-winning story of Life is Strange now beautifully remastered with enhanced visuals and vastly improved animation using mocap technology.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered
Life is Strange: Before the Storm returns with remastered visuals across characters & environments.
How Fish Is Made
Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC!
You Will (Not) Remain
You must stay in your apartment as the city around you falls to an Eldritch horror.
MOTHERED - A ROLE-PLAYING HORROR GAME
An immersive first-person horror adventure where you play the role of LIANA - a young girl who arrives home after major surgery and is met with a strange mannequin claiming to be her mother.
Kathy Rain: Director's Cut
The award-winning point-and-click adventure returns in the Director's Cut with an extended story, additional puzzles, and new areas to explore. Witness the rise of an iconic detective as you uncover a dark and sinister truth hiding behind the calm exterior of a small rural town.
Most played narrative games on Steam
Take a look at the top narrative games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of June 15th 2025.
1. Vagrus - The Riven Realms
Embark on a perilous journey across a realm forsaken by the gods and devastated by an arcane cataclysm. Accompanied by a hardy crew, you must trade, fight, and explore your way to success as the leader of a traveling company in Vagrus, an award-winning turn-based post-apocalyptic fantasy RPG. Vagrus - The Riven Realms is a story rich, open world and dungeons & dragons game developed by Lost Pilgrims Studio and published by Lost Pilgrims Studios. Released on October 05th 2021 has received 1,418 reviews of which 1,212 were positive and 206 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #1 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.2
1,212
206
80
players
2. Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout
Jack Nelson, a 24-year-old fire lookout, transferred to a new outpost. As he settled into his new home, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, little did he know what was transpiring down in Ironbark State Park. Fears to Fathom - Ironbark Lookout is a horror, atmospheric and psychological horror game developed and published by Rayll Studios. Released on October 20th 2023 has received 4,650 reviews of which 4,303 were positive and 347 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. The game currently holds the #2 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.9
4,303
347
49
players
3. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged
The classic multi-award winning adventure "Broken Sword - the Shadow of the Templars" returns with glorious 4K visuals and iconic remastered audio, pitching intrepid American George Stobbart and fearless journalist Nico Collard into a journey of perilous adventures and ancient conspiracies. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a mystery, point & click and narrative game developed and published by Revolution Software Ltd. Released on September 19th 2024 has received 776 reviews of which 751 were positive and 25 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.1
751
25
41
players
4. Fort Solis
Answer the call from a mining base on Mars as engineer Jack Leary and search for the missing crew. Fort Solis will immerse you with cinematic visuals powered by UE 5 and voice acting of Roger Clark and Troy Baker. Explore the mining complex and reach climax of this narrative thriller experience. Fort Solis is a walking simulator, cinematic and mars game developed by Fallen Leaf and Black Drakkar Games and published by Dear Villagers. Released on August 22nd 2023 has received 2,992 reviews of which 2,026 were positive and 966 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.6 out of 10. The game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played narrative games.
6.6
2,026
966
22
players
5. Before Your Eyes
Embark on an emotional first-person narrative adventure where you control the story—and affect its outcomes—with your real-life blinks. With this innovative technique you will fully immerse yourself in a world of memories, both joyous and heartbreaking, as your whole life flashes before your eyes. Before Your Eyes is a emotional, narrative and story rich game developed by GoodbyeWorld Games and published by Skybound Games. Released on April 08th 2021 has received 17,499 reviews of which 17,136 were positive and 363 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. The game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.5
17,136
363
17
players
6. Epistory - Typing Chronicles
Epistory immerses you in an atmospheric action/adventure game where you play a girl riding a giant fox who fights an insectile corruption from an origami world. As you progress and explore this world, the story literally unfolds and the mysteries of the magic power of the words are revealed. Epistory - Typing Chronicles is a typing, adventure and narrative game developed by Fishing Cactus and published by Fishing Cactus, PID Games and Dear Villagers. Released on March 30th 2016 has received 6,581 reviews of which 6,235 were positive and 346 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.2
6,235
346
17
players
7. Heaven's Vault
An archaeologist uncovers a lost history in an ancient space Nebula. Award-winning narrative adventure game with hieroglyphic language puzzles, from the creators of 80 DAYS. Heaven's Vault is a adventure, narrative and mystery game developed and published by inkle Ltd. Released on April 16th 2019 has received 2,209 reviews of which 1,889 were positive and 320 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.2
1,889
320
16
players
8. Venba
Venba is a short narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations, and explore South Indian food in this story about family, love, and loss. Venba is a cooking, casual and narrative game developed and published by Visai Games. Released on July 31st 2023 has received 2,577 reviews of which 2,379 were positive and 198 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.8
2,379
198
14
players
9. Clone Drone in the Hyperdome
Cut robots apart in VR. Feel your sword disintegrate their metal bodies. Now you live and die in the Crashloop, a roguelike tournament to the death. Lock swords! Shoot shurikens from your wrist! This is CLONE DRONE... in the HYPERDOME!!! Clone Drone in the Hyperdome is a action, swordplay and fighting game developed and published by Doborog Games. Released on December 12th 2024 has received 718 reviews of which 659 were positive and 59 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played narrative games.
8.6
659
59
10
players
10. How Fish Is Made
Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC! How Fish Is Made is a surreal, short and horror game developed by Wrong Organ, Johanna Kasurinen, Jeffrey Tomec and Martin Halldin and published by Wrong Organ and CRITICAL REFLEX. Released on January 14th 2022 has received 4,784 reviews of which 4,566 were positive and 218 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played narrative games.
9.2
4,566
218
5
players
Best deals on narrative games on Steam
Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of narrative games available on Steam right now, updated on June 15th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted narrative games.
1. Venba
Venba is a short narrative cooking game, where you play as an Indian mom who immigrates to Canada with her family in the 1980s. Cook various dishes and restore lost recipes, hold branching conversations, and explore South Indian food in this story about family, love, and loss. Venba is a cooking, casual and narrative game developed and published by Visai Games. Released on July 31st 2023 has received 2,577 reviews of which 2,379 were positive and 198 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Featuring a massive 98% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for narrative category.
8.8
2,379
198
-98%
14.99€
0.33€
2. Dordogne
Immerse yourself in a unique narrative experience and explore the thousand summer colors of Dordogne as you revisit your childhood to uncover lost family secrets in this touching formative journey. Dordogne is a narrative, wholesome and cute game developed by UN JE NE SAIS QUOI and UMANIMATION and published by Focus Entertainment. Released on June 13th 2023 has received 1,086 reviews of which 999 were positive and 87 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.7 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 98% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in narrative games.
8.7
999
87
-98%
14.99€
0.33€
3. Fort Solis
Answer the call from a mining base on Mars as engineer Jack Leary and search for the missing crew. Fort Solis will immerse you with cinematic visuals powered by UE 5 and voice acting of Roger Clark and Troy Baker. Explore the mining complex and reach climax of this narrative thriller experience. Fort Solis is a walking simulator, cinematic and mars game developed by Fallen Leaf and Black Drakkar Games and published by Dear Villagers. Released on August 22nd 2023 has received 2,992 reviews of which 2,026 were positive and 966 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.6 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 98% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in narrative games.
6.6
2,026
966
-98%
24.99€
0.72€
4. Heaven's Vault
An archaeologist uncovers a lost history in an ancient space Nebula. Award-winning narrative adventure game with hieroglyphic language puzzles, from the creators of 80 DAYS. Heaven's Vault is a adventure, narrative and mystery game developed and published by inkle Ltd. Released on April 16th 2019 has received 2,209 reviews of which 1,889 were positive and 320 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 91% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for narrative games.
8.2
1,889
320
-91%
21.99€
2.00€
5. Before Your Eyes
Embark on an emotional first-person narrative adventure where you control the story—and affect its outcomes—with your real-life blinks. With this innovative technique you will fully immerse yourself in a world of memories, both joyous and heartbreaking, as your whole life flashes before your eyes. Before Your Eyes is a emotional, narrative and story rich game developed by GoodbyeWorld Games and published by Skybound Games. Released on April 08th 2021 has received 17,499 reviews of which 17,136 were positive and 363 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for narrative games.
9.5
17,136
363
-90%
9.75€
1.07€
6. Epistory - Typing Chronicles
Epistory immerses you in an atmospheric action/adventure game where you play a girl riding a giant fox who fights an insectile corruption from an origami world. As you progress and explore this world, the story literally unfolds and the mysteries of the magic power of the words are revealed. Epistory - Typing Chronicles is a typing, adventure and narrative game developed by Fishing Cactus and published by Fishing Cactus, PID Games and Dear Villagers. Released on March 30th 2016 has received 6,581 reviews of which 6,235 were positive and 346 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #6 position in the best deals for narrative games.
9.2
6,235
346
-90%
14.99€
1.54€
7. Thirty Flights of Loving
Explore the world of Thirty Flights of Loving through a first-person short story. Take a deep dive with high-flying schemers, lovelorn criminals, and more stray kittens than you can shake a stick at. Thirty Flights of Loving is a first-person, experimental and walking simulator game developed and published by Blendo Games. Released on August 20th 2012 has received 1,826 reviews of which 1,152 were positive and 674 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #7 position in the best deals for narrative games.
6.2
1,152
674
-90%
4.99€
0.50€
8. Afterparty
In Afterparty, you are Milo and Lola, recently deceased best buds who suddenly find themselves staring down an eternity in Hell. But there's a loophole: outdrink Satan and he'll grant you re-entry to Earth. Afterparty is a indie, supernatural and narrative game developed and published by Night School Studio. Released on October 22nd 2020 has received 897 reviews of which 619 were positive and 278 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.7 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 75% discount, this title has earned the #8 position in the best deals for narrative games.
6.7
619
278
-75%
19.50€
5.01€
9. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged
The classic multi-award winning adventure "Broken Sword - the Shadow of the Templars" returns with glorious 4K visuals and iconic remastered audio, pitching intrepid American George Stobbart and fearless journalist Nico Collard into a journey of perilous adventures and ancient conspiracies. Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars: Reforged is a mystery, point & click and narrative game developed and published by Revolution Software Ltd. Released on September 19th 2024 has received 776 reviews of which 751 were positive and 25 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.1 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 65% discount, this title has earned the #9 position in the best deals for narrative games.
9.1
751
25
-65%
29.99€
10.56€
10. SEASON: A letter to the future
Leave home for the first time to collect memories before a mysterious cataclysm washes everything away. Ride, record, meet people, and unravel the strange world around you in this third-person meditative exploration game. SEASON: A letter to the future is a open world, mystery and visual novel game developed and published by Scavengers Studio. Released on January 31st 2023 has received 1,863 reviews of which 1,739 were positive and 124 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 58% discount, this title has earned the #10 position in the best deals for narrative games.
8.9
1,739
124
-58%
24.99€
10.55€
Free narrative games on Steam
Check out this fantastic list of free-to-play narrative games you can enjoy on Steam right now, updated on June 15th 2025. Looking for even more free titles? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of free to play narrative games.
1. How Fish Is Made
Are sardines trustworthy? Are you? Do you want to be? How Fish is Made is a janky little jaunt through the world of surrealist storytelling. Now featuring a Katamari-like DLC! How Fish Is Made is a surreal, short and horror game developed by Wrong Organ, Johanna Kasurinen, Jeffrey Tomec and Martin Halldin and published by Wrong Organ and CRITICAL REFLEX. Released on January 14th 2022 has received 4,784 reviews of which 4,566 were positive and 218 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #1 spot among the most played free narrative games on Steam.
9.2
4,566
218
5
players